It is no surprise that winter can be tough on the body and mind. It is cold, dark, and wet. The days are short, and the nights are long. That’s why it can be difficult to beat the winter blues.

The winter blues usually start to show in November when shorter days lead to less light exposure, which can cause people to feel sluggish or sad. By February, you will probably be feeling pretty shattered and ready for some brighter days. The lack of sunlight also leads to a lack of vitamin D production, which can lead to depression or anxiety.

There are many ways you can beat the winter blues by staying active with daily exercise, eating healthy foods, getting enough sleep, and spending time with friends and family. Below are my top tips to help you feel better during the winter months:

Sleep to beat the winter blues

The winter blues are common for many people, but there are many ways to beat this feeling. One way is to get a healthy amount of sleep every night. Sleep deprivation can cause various health problems, and by getting enough sleep, you’re helping your body stay healthy.

When you’re a busy working mum or dad, getting a good nights sleep is easier said than done! You might have to be up in the night with the kids, which is sometimes unavoidable. Plan your rest time if you know it will be disrupted by going to bed earlier. Try an app to help you drift off if you have difficulties sleeping. Read my recommendations for top hypnotherapy apps further down in this article.

Try the ECHOR END OF DAY CANDLE to help your anxieties and stress drift away. The candle has been blended with multiple essential oils that have been shown to reduce stress hormones and lower blood pressure, including Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Geranium & Sweet Orange.

Treat yourself

There’s nothing better than treating yourself sometimes. After all, you are worth it, and it’s important to realise you are worth it!

Flowers

Buy yourself flowers. I love Freddie’s Flowers (I was recently kindly gifted a gorgeous bunch in exchange for an Instagram post). They have a flower-arranging guide which is an excellent activity for anyone who enjoys creating beautiful things!

Freddie’s Flowers can also arrange regular deliveries of beautiful flowers to you. I have a discount code which will get you 50% off your first two deliveries, making them just £12.50 each! Use code FFINSTA115 to get your discount.

A good book

Light a candle, get comfy and allow yourself time to read a good book. A Feel Good Book will help you escape the winter blues. Or if reading is not your thing, a movie.

A spa treatment

Whether it’s a massage, a facial or a quick manicure, treat yourself to a treatment. You deserve it!

Exercise to fight the winter blues

Regular exercise has been found to release endorphins, making you feel better about yourself and more energised. It also keeps your mind sharp and your body healthy. It is a great way to relieve stress, anxiety, and overall tension while strengthening the immune system.

Exercise is also a fantastic tool for regaining control of your thoughts, feelings, and moods. I know it can be challenging to fit exercise into your day, but even a half-hour walk a day in the outdoors should make you feel better. Or can you fit a 10 to 15-minute yoga YouTube session into your schedule every other day? Or a bike ride with the kids?

I recommend for exercise:

• Walking the kids to school rather than driving
• Walking the dog yourself rather than using a dog walker
• Bike rides with the kids at the weekend
• The anti-burnout website for pilates and other classes. I love the four weeks to pilates pro class.
• Adriene’s 30-day yoga challenge on YouTube
• Lucy Wyndham-Read’s 7-minute workout on YouTube is great to fit into your day.

Take Dietary Supplements

Dietary supplements aim to support your overall health, wellness and immunity. They are said to help improve your mood and decrease stress and anxiety levels. To find out more about how they can help have a read of this Activated You review.

Meditate to make you feel better

Meditation is a technique to get in touch with your inner self. It helps you to focus on your breathing and find peace.

Meditation has been scientifically proven to help you manage stress, anxiety, and chronic pain. It also boosts creativity and productivity by increasing focus and concentration.

There are many ways of meditating, but mindfulness meditation is the most common. This type of meditation focuses on the present moment and uses it as an opportunity for self-reflection. The apps I love to use include:

Meditation Moments

Mediation Moments app helps to reduce your stress levels, sleep well and focus on more positive thoughts. There are affirmations, challenges, music, and all kinds of mediations, including walking mediation, live meditation and full moon mediation.

Feel Amazing

The Feel Amazing app is another of my favourites. It’s an app by renowned hypnotherapist Ailsa Frank. Her purpose is to help people take an amazing path in life. Feel Amazing enables you to transform your life with Ailsa’s lovely soothing voice and positive suggestions. It’s a place to relax, remain calm and find time to let your worries float away to help you sleep better, worry less, achieve more and break bad habits. 

SAD Lamp

Winter can be hard on their mood and mental health for many people. The lack of sunlight in the winter can lead to seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
SAD is a form of depression that occurs in the winter months in people who have low serotonin levels in their brains. This condition usually starts in late fall or early winter and lasts until springtime when there is more sunlight.

The symptoms of SAD are often less severe if you take steps to maintain your mood during the cold months. One way to do this is by taking vitamins that can help improve your mood during these times. You may also want to look at getting a SAD lamp. These are reasonable prices these days, and some get excellent reviews, including the SAD Light Therapy Lamp by ALBINA.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon associate I earn from any qualifying purchases.

Vitamins to make you feel better

Eating well is yet another critical tool to beat the winter blues. It’s important to eat nutrient-rich foods full of vitamins that provide your body with enough fuel to function correctly.

Many different types of vitamins can help you feel better in the winter.

Below are some of the most common ones that can help you feel better during this time of year:

• Vitamin D – Vitamin D is one of the essential vitamins for your body to function correctly. It helps with muscle movement, bone growth, and even immune system function.

• Vitamin C – Vitamin C is another vitamin that is important for your immune system to function properly. It also helps with wound healing and blood vessels.

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential type of fat needed by your body to maintain brain health, heart health, and overall organ health.

EFT Tapping to beat the winter blues

There is a lot of research and studies that show how EFT tapping on acupressure points can help you feel better. There are also studies that show how it can help with depression.

Some people use this technique to bring their mood back to normal after a bad day, while others do it when they start feeling bad. It’s all about what works for you and your body. Tapping is an efficient, non-invasive technique that can help you overcome feelings of depression and start to enjoy winter again.

Let me know what your top tips are to beat the winter blues in the comments below.

Disclaimer: As an amazon associate I earn from any qualifying purchases. Some of the things in this review I was gifted but all views and opinions are my own.